


Messages

by bboiseux, EllaPreuss, Flavortext, lore_and_more



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Critical Robin, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M9 cuddle pile, canon character death, just referenced
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 11:29:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16367042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bboiseux/pseuds/bboiseux, https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllaPreuss/pseuds/EllaPreuss, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flavortext/pseuds/Flavortext, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lore_and_more/pseuds/lore_and_more
Summary: A series of messages from Jester.





	Messages

**Author's Note:**

> AAA it's finally done! This was a part of the second Critical Robin, where bboiseux gathers some great people to write a bit of a fic, then pass it on to the next person until it gets back to the creator! This round robin was so much fun, everyone's pieces have turned out so great, and I'm excited to read the final products!!! The order for this fic was:  
> Flavotext (@osroshallward on tumblr) -> Moonweave -> bboiseux -> EllaPreuss -> lore_and_more!
> 
> Check out all their fics, and the Critical Robin tag for the other works people have put together!  
> Now, enjoy some angst.

Jester could just barely move her fingers. It hurt, but it was enough to tap each one to her palm, curled into fists behind her back. She mouthed the words silently, unsure if the spell could even be cast that way, could even be cast at all, given her current position.

_Dear Mama, I miss you very much. Things are very scary right now, and I do not know how I will get out. I love -_

The divine energy fizzled on her tongue, and some breath of the words must have made it out because the cage around her was suddenly jostled, tossing her shoulder into Fjord’s stomach, with a gruff “Keep it quiet back there!”

 

 _Dear Mama, I am safe now! I am back with my friends, minus one, and everyone is very sad still but we have a new_ -

Jester slumped in the back of the cart, coming back to the moment while Beau entranced Nott with a cat’s cradle game. Caduceus gave her a knowing smile and a soft tap with his foot.

“Sometimes, I’m not sure they can hear us.” Caduceus tilted his head towards the girls, Nott’s fingers now seemingly irreversibly tangled in the string. Jester forced a laugh, already moving aside her pack, even before Beau shrieked out for her, her attempts to cut Nott free before she lost circulation ending in a splatter of blood.

 

_Dear Fjord, Beau and I are going to get fancy pastries, please ask Caleb, Nott, and Duceus if they want anything, or want to come!_

Jester didn’t know what she hoped for more, honestly, when she asked that. Obviously, you know, she was going to pick up a little something-something for everyone whether they made any specific requests or not, but it would be nice to have company! And on the other hand, it would be nice just to walk with Beau. They had not had very much time together, just the two of them.

“Beaaaauu-eeeaau,” Jester sang, still listening for any incoming response. “Can we talk while we walk? I feel like I hardly know you!”

Beau snorted. “I feel like you know me pretty damn well, girl, but yeah. Hell yeah. What’s up?”

 

_Dear The Gentleman, -_

_Dear Mr. Gentleman, -_

_Dear… Papa?_

_Dear The Gentleman, I -_

Jester scuffed her foot along in the dirt, kicking a small pebble and puffing her cheeks out frustratedly. Okay okay no. She waved her hand in the air to help dismiss the spell from her mind. No, maybe not yet, maybe not ever, what had he done to deserve a message anyway?

 

Jester’s tail tap, tap, tapped against the grass as she thought about her wording. She’d really try to do it the first time this time.

_Dear Calianna, hi, I miss you a whole ton, it’s been a while since your last letter! Please write again soon so we can chat!_

Oh no.

Oh no, oh no, that fit so it sent but Jester had so much more to say…

 

 _Dear Molly, we love you, we miss you, can you hear me? We’re heading to the docks to talk to Marius.  Were you there when_ \- we found that letter?  It’s harder and harder to remember and that makes me sad.

Jester felt the message send in the middle of the sentence, but . . . she just had to say it.  She wiped away the tears pooling in her eyes and suddenly there were two hands rubbing her back.  She glanced to each side and saw Beau and Fjord walking beside her, both pretending they didn’t hear, their faces focused on the road ahead.  Beau’s hand rested of Jester’s lower back, Fjord’s almost on her shoulder.

 

 _Um, Nott?  I forgot the paint and now I am hanging upside down and I don’t want to bother Yasha, but . . . I still need the_ \- paint.

Shit!  Maybe she got the message anyway.  Jester just hung there for a moment, Yasha’s grip firm on her ankles, the sea rushing by below her head.  Swinging back and forth, the air a sharp patter on her face, wet spray occasionally misting her face, Jester smiled.  She was a pirate now! And so far it seemed both frightening and awesome.

Yasha’s voice interrupted Jester’s reverie.  “Jester, are you almost done?”

“Um . . .”  Jester swung her body and glanced upward.  Yasha was staring down at her in confusion.

Just then Yasha glanced back and, with a jerk, pulled Jester back up.  Nott was at her side holding Jester’s bag.

“I brought your paint!” she said, pushing the bag towards Jester.

“Thank you, Nott!” said Jester.  She turned a nervous toothy smile to Yasha.

 

 _Um, hi, Fjord.  I know this is weird because you are just on the other side of the boat, but I didn't want to bother_ \- you…

Twenty-six. Dammit, Jester cursed, feeling the effects of the spell fizzle out. She really needed to learn how to send more precise messages.

As The Mystake sailed smoothly through the open seas, sun beating down on the crew, Jester looked over her shoulder towards the half-orc currently standing with his back to her on the other side of the main deck.

She saw his spine straighten and knew that he'd heard her in his mind. Still, he made no move towards her. Didn't even spare her a glance as he walked away, below deck and into the cabins.

Lips curling into a pout, Jester turned back to face the sea stretching out before her, swallowing her disappointment. She'd been traveling with Fjord enough to know by now that he enjoyed his solitude. However, these past few days she'd seen him withdraw into himself like she'd never seen him do before.

She might have to resort to other tactics later.

 

 _Dear Mr. Traveler, I need your help! Me and my friends are stuck on an island and there's a giant snake here and it wants_ -to eat us _!_

Jester’s whispered spell complete, the loudest things she could hear now were the intense beating of her heart… and the slithering of whatever creature had just been released as it searched for them on the ground.

Everyone had scattered around the ancient temple as they'd felt the earth shake beneath their feet, almost erupting from the sheer force of the worm-like creature being expelled from the center of the temple's pool.

 

_Fjord?  Fjord...please come up.  You don’t have to be alone, we are..._

Jester bit her lip and let the spell fizzle, message left unfinished...

Since they had returned from the island Fjord had kept himself locked in his chambers aboard The Mystake, only coming up for meals or to summon Orly to study maps and plot their new, mysterious corse.  It was making everyone antsy. Yasha was continuously pacing the deck, Caleb was muttering to himself more than usual, Beau’s knuckles always seemed to be bruised and bleeding, and Nott was trying her best to keep Caduceus calm by insisting he teaches her about cooking. The only person who seemed to be thriving at the moment was Gallen, the carpenter turned the first mate.  He had taken it upon himself to keep the rest of the deckhands on task, even if no one had any idea where they were going.

It was a mess and, despite her positive outlook, Jester was starting to feel lost as well.  So she took a deep breath, said a small prayer to The Traveler, and summoned all of her composure before heading below deck to find their secluded captain.

She stood outside of Fjord’s door and raised her fist to knock when she heard a soft sound coming from within.  It sounded almost like...crying?

Jester bit her lip, hand half raised in a knock. She knew she shouldn’t listen, she should either barge in and comfort him or leave him to it, but her muscles were frozen. The crying subsided after a minute, down to the occasional heavy sniffle, before the sound of feet padded across the room and the door creaked open. Shit. Jester tried to jump out of the way but was too slow. Fjord looked at her through tired eyes, still a little bloodshot.

“Hey, Jes. Can I help you?” He said. His voice was raw, but if he noticed he didn’t let on. He was leaning heavily on the doorframe. The room behind him was a mess, his pack open, contents spilling out across the floor. The map on the desk was held down with various navigation tools and other stacks of paper. The golden snake bust they’d gotten on the island glittered as a paperweight. Jester sighed, focusing back on him.

“Let’s talk.” She said, patting his arm and giving a stern look. He looked so tired and didn’t protest as she pushed him into the room and sat down on the floor, patting the clear spot next to her. Fjord looked numbly at her for a second before lowering himself to the ground as well.

 

 _Beau, we need you in Fjord’s cabin, bring Yasha and Caduceus, and all your blankets!_ Jester sent, pushing the last of Fjords belongings roughly out of the way. The pillows from her and Beau’s cabin were already piled on the floor next to the blankets. She paused and then sent another message.

_Caleb, we need you in Fjord’s cabin, bring Nott and your pillows and blankets!_

There’s a pattering of feet down from the upper deck, and Jester plops back down next to Fjord, who has his knees drawn up to his chest and puffy eyes from more crying, but a soft smile on his face as he stares at the floorboards. They’d talked for almost an hour, about how scared he felt, worried about what he was dragging the rest of them into, worried they something could take control of his mind, or that they would just up and leave him (Jester had reminded him that none of them could steer the ship even after his patient instruction, and they were days away from the mainland even if they somehow managed to mutiny. She wasn’t sure it went over as well as she’d hoped.). The end of their conversation had been Fjord admitting he was afraid that more dreams would come, or that he’d start hearing the voice when he wasn’t asleep, and he’d agreed after some convincing to Jester’s idea of a sleepover. It would be cramped, but only a little more than in Caleb’s bubble.

 

The door was unceremoniously kicked open by Beau, arms full of pillows and blankets, and trailed by a confused looking Yasha and Caduceus with his tea set. A moment later, Caleb, clutching his pillow to his chest with one hand, the other holding Nott’s, followed. Fjord mumbled a hello and got a series of gentle responses. No big questions yet, just a shuffling of bodies to fit the seven of them into the small room. The pillows and blankets were distributed, and Caduceus set about making tea, the soft clinking of the kettle mixing with the back and forth of the waves outside the ship. 


End file.
